Patrick McFadden: I am pleased to announce that the 2006 version of the "Public Bodies Directory" has now been completed and copies of the directory are available in the Library for the Reference of Members. The directory provides information on individual public bodies as at 31 March 2006. The directory isalso accessible at: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/other/agencies/public_bodies/index.asp. This shows that at31 March 2006 there was a reduction of 28 long-term public bodies since the same date in 2005.
	The directory lists the public bodies sponsored by central Government, with contact details, information about their remit and about the membership of their boards. It also introduces a new category within the public bodies classifications; Public Broadcasting Authorities. This recognises the unique governance arrangements pertaining to the BBC and S4C, which set them apart from other non-Departmental bodies and public corporations.
	The board membership figures are broken down between male and female members for individual bodies, and summaries are provided at departmental level for the proportions of board members who are women, have declared they have a disability or come from a minority ethnic background. There have been small increases in all categories. As at 31 March 2006, 35.5 per cent. of appointments made were women (up 0.5 per cent. on the position at 31 March 2005), 5.9 per cent. were members of ethnic minority groups (up0.4 per cent.) and 5.1 per cent. were to those declaring a disability (up 0.8 per cent.).
	A cross-Government summary of individual Departments' figures will be placed on the public appointments website at: www.publicappointments.gov.uk. This reinforces the Government's commitment to continue to pursue its diversity objectives and to promote outreach activity and plans.
	The directory also includes information about the Government's Task Forces, Ad-hoc Advisory Groups and Reviews, giving a more complete picture of the bodies and groups working to deliver the Government's objectives.

Des Browne: On 18 July in a written ministerial statement I confirmed the details of the force package for the next routine roulement of UK forces in Iraq in November when the lead UK formation, currently 20 Armoured Brigade, will be replaced by 19 Light Brigade. I would now like to confirm some of the details of preparations for this roulement. As for previous roulements, elements of the Theatre Reserve Battalion, currently the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, will be deployed to provide additional security during what is always a period of intense activity for UK forces. There will also be some additional support aimed at contributing to improving security in Basra city.
	In total this involves approximately 360 additional personnel. They will begin deploying shortly and complete their work not later than January 2007.
	This is a critical period for the Iraqi people and their Government. There is an opportunity to improve significantly the security situation in Basra city—building on, and reinforcing, recent progress in Baghdad. Improved security in Basra will create the conditions for the important civil development work being led by the UK's Provincial Reconstruction Team. Therefore I have agreed that the deployment of troops from the Theatre Reserve Battalion, while strictly time limited, should on this occasion be brought forward and extended by a short period. In addition, I have also authorised the deployment of Royal Engineers to assist with reconstruction and countering the threat from improvised explosive devices, a Royal Marine boat troop to assist in tightening security on the Shatt Al Arab waterway, and a troop of Royal Military Police to augment our training of the Iraqi Police.
	We ask our servicemen and women to discharge difficult and dangerous tasks. But over the next few months, through security operations and civil development projects, we have a key opportunity to make improvements to the lives of the people—of Basra and lay the foundations for the departure, once the conditions are right, of coalition forces from front line roles in Iraq.

Ben Bradshaw: In my written ministerial statement of16 May I set out the Performance Targets for the Veterinary Laboratories Agency for 2006-07. The third target listed under Service Delivery in that statement should have had the figure of 80 per cent. rather than 75 per cent. That and all other targets are set out again below.
	Service Delivery
	1. To meet a 85 per cent. of Rationale, Objectives, Appraisal, Monitoring and Evaluation (ROAME) milestones together with evidence of significant progress towards an outcome based measure of research projects.
	2. To achieve 85 per cent. of surveillance deliverables to time.
	3. To achieve a score of at least 80 per cent. satisfaction in the VLA customer satisfaction survey.
	Financial
	4. To achieve full cost recovery.
	Efficiency
	5. To deliver 2.5 per cent. efficiency savings.
	Quality
	6. Maintaining current third party certifications and accreditations.
	7. To achieve ISO14001 certification for the regional laboratories.
	Safety
	8. To implement the VLA safety plan 2006-07 to timescales indicated in the Business Plan.
	Further details are given in the VLA Business Plan for 2006-07 a copy of which has been provided to the Library of the House.

Geoff Hoon: The Government have submitted to the EU Council Secretariat, details of the United Kingdom's 24 nominees for membership of the Economic and Social Committee. The Government have made these nominations on the basis of a fair and transparent selection process to ensure the UK delegation reflects the social and economic diversity of the United Kingdom.
	The present four-year term of the ESC ends in September 2006. The UK divides its 24 members equally between Group I (Employers), Group II (Employees) and Group III (Other Interests).
	The ESC is a consultative body, which produces Opinions for the Council of Ministers on draft legislation. Additionally the Committee can produce its "Own Opinion" on any other economic or social issue.
	The UK has 24 full members in the ESC from a current total membership 317. There are eight UK members in each of the three groups.
	The nominees are:
	Employers (Group I)
	1. Kenneth Fraser
	2. Peter Morgan
	3. Madi Sharma
	4. Bryan Cassidy
	5. Jonathan Peel
	6. David Sears
	7. Brendan Burns
	8. Brenda King
	Employees (Group II)
	9. Christine Blower
	10. Sandy Boyle
	11. Marge Carey
	12. Peter Coldrick
	13. Nicolas Crook
	14. Brian Curtis
	15. Judy McKnight
	16. Monica Taylor
	Other Interests Group (Group III)
	17. RoseD'Sa
	18. Maureen O'Neill
	19. Michael Smyth
	20. Jane Morrice
	21. Richard Adams
	22. Sukhdev Sharma
	23. Tom Jones
	24. Derek Osborn.

Kim Howells: The 2005 Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls will be published at 1100 today as a Command Paper. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House. The report describes UK policy and international developments in export control regimes, as well as information on export licensing decisions taken during 2005.
	The Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls is an innovation of this Government. This report, the ninth Annual Report (the first report was published in 1997) is a step away from the traditional reports of the past. Our export licensing system is one of the most rigorous and transparent regimes in the world and the Annual Report—in this new format—symbolises our continued commitment to accountability and transparency by presenting detailed information in a more modern and user friendly format. This year, due to the increasing volume of information on strategic exports that is being published by the Government, all the statistical data that was historically published only in hardcopy is now made available on a CD ROM which accompanies the report. Since 2004 the Government have also produced detailed Quarterly Reports available on the Internet—ensuring that the UK provides some of the most open and timely export licensing information available anywhere. The new CD ROM includes the Quarterly Reports for 2005, as well as more consolidated data, information on licence refusals and fuller information on trade control (trafficking and brokering) licences issued during 2005. The complete report will be available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site and also published through The Stationery Office.

Hilary Benn: At the beginning of this year the UN judged that 8.2 million people in East Africa and the Horn were in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, mainly food aid, following the worse drought for a decade. Since then approximately 490,000mt of food aid has been delivered to respond to these needs. Additional assistance has been provided in the form of emergency medical, nutritional, water and sanitation, shelter and other forms of relief. The UK has provided approximately £55 million or $103.9 million towards this. Overall the international donor community have provided over $660 million towards the relief effort.
	The long rains in the early and mid part of 2006 have led to improvements in most areas. Unfortunately, most notably in Ethiopia, flooding has brought its own tragedy as over 600 people have died and more than 150,000 have lost their homes or been affected in one way or another. Most recently DFID has made available a further £6 million for humanitarian assistance in Kenya, where malnutrition rates remain high and current season harvest assessments present a very mixed picture. In Ethiopia we have provided£l million for urgent relief to flood-affected people.
	Humanitarian assistance is still needed to address the urgent medical and nutritional needs of the most seriously sick and malnourished, and to meet other basic needs, including clean water, to the reduce risks of death and disease. Basic humanitarian indicators remain worrying, but we expect that the steps taken by relief agencies have mitigated what might have been more serious consequences, such as widespread mortality and displacement. We are closely monitoring the situation.
	Assistance is also being provided in an effort to improve productive capacity by investing in livestock or other farming inputs such as seeds, tools and livestock vaccinations. However, it remains a challenge to achieve sustained benefits for the poorest and most vulnerable communities. In Ethiopia we are leading supporters of a productive safety nets programme to tackle chronic hunger; we are working on the development of a similar programme in Kenya. It is also important to note that substantial risks remain from conflict in the region, and we are working closely with the international community to promote peace and stability as a prerequisite to finding long term solutions to persistent humanitarian crises.

Hilary Benn: The recent conflict in Lebanon caused great harm to the civilian populations in both Israel and Lebanon. A million people, a quarter of Lebanon's population, were displaced by the fighting and in Israel 300,000 people were reported to have fled their homes or taken to shelters. Israel had every right to defend itself against Hezbollah, but from the beginning we expressed the need for a proportionate response. I believe that this requires all sides to respect international humanitarian law.
	The ceasefire, reached after much diplomatic activity, including strenuous efforts by the British Government, is holding and has aided the relief effort but the humanitarian situation in Lebanon remains serious.
	On 15 August, the day after the ceasefire came into effect, I visited Beirut to assess the situation for myself. The priorities for the humanitarian aid effort were to secure sustained access for humanitarian convoys to reach the most vulnerable; to ensure safe return for displaced citizens; to minimise the risk of injury and death from unexploded munitions for those returning and for aid workers; and to repair basic infrastructure, such as water and power supplies and bridges.
	From early in the conflict, the UK responded to Lebanon's call for help. Our total funding commitment now stands at £22.3 million, including our share of multilateral spending, making us one of the biggest bilateral contributors to the humanitarian effort. In line with our assessment of current priorities, this money is helping to provide shelter, healthcare, water and sanitation, and to clear unexploded munitions. We have agreed to provide urgently needed prefabricated bridges to open critical humanitarian supply routes. The first three bridges arrived in Lebanon on 1 September.
	The Government have also urged Israel to lift all restrictions on normal shipping entering Lebanese ports, as set out in resolution 1701. This is essential in order to help restore the economy. The partial lifting of the economic blockade last week has further enhanced the chances of avoiding a much bigger humanitarian crisis and will help Lebanon begin the path to recovery. We continue to push for further progress on the issue.
	The international community has responded generously to Prime Minister Siniora's appeal for assistance at the Stockhom conference on early recovery held on 31 August. Collectively we have pledged over $900 million to aid recovery. It will be important that these pledges are acted on as soon as possible.
	Lebanon needed our aid, and we are ready to do more as needed, but more than anything else what Lebanon and the region need is peace. The conflict of this summer was a symptom of a wider collective failure to resolve the conflict that has affected the Middle East for decades. UN SCR 1701 was a step in the right direction, and must be implemented by all parties, but we need to encourage negotiation, compromise and above all political leadership to end the long-term suffering of people on both sides of the border.
	Unfortunately, what has happened in Lebanon is not the only humanitarian crisis in the region. We cannot forget the plight of the Palestinians, especially in Gaza, where violence continues and people die. Since the start of the current conflict on 28 June, over 200 Palestinians have been killed and over 700 injured. The cost of damage to agriculture and industry is now estimated at around $46 million. Many households continue to receive only six-eight hours of electricity per day. However, there are plans to rebuild the Gaza power station and to supply electricity from Egypt, which should improve the situation. Intermittent electricity supply is affecting all key services. Water supply and sanitation services remain limited, with severe health implications. The UN now estimates a 65 per cent. increase in the number of children with diarrhoea compared with this time last year. Hospitals are struggling to operate vital equipment and to store drugs and vaccines safely.
	Food prices are rising and 70 per cent. of Gazans are now considered to be food insecure. The World Food Programme reports a 72 per cent. increase in numbers using their feeding programme. Gaza crossing points are open intermittently, primarily for humanitarian food supplies. Action is needed to ensure unrestricted humanitarian access, including the supply of medical equipment, fuel, food and electricity.
	At the Stockholm Donor Conference on1 September, donors pledged $500 million for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, of which $200 million was for humanitarian aid. The UK pledged £3 million to the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM) for operation, maintenance and repair work to keep water, sanitation and electricity services running. This follows an earlier contribution to the TIM of £3 million to fund essential health supplies. In addition, the UK made a contribution of £15 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in April. UNRWA provides healthcare and other basic services for Palestinian refugees, who comprise 70 per cent. of Gaza's population. The UK has also deployed two experts to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to improve its capacity to monitor the humanitarian situation in Gaza. These two experts will assist donors and others to make sure help gets to those who need it the most.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department published on the 11 August 2006, the NHS financial performance for the first quarter of 2006-07. The report indicates that the NHS is on track to achieve our aim of a net financial balance by the end of the year. The report shows that the NHS as a whole is forecasting a small surplus for the year of £18 million, after application of a £350 million contingency created by the Strategic Health Authorities.
	The report is available in the Library and is published on the Department's website at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/13/79/95/04137995.pdf

Andy Burnham: A 10-year contract has been awarded to DHL to manage the supply chain and procurement services currently managed by the logistics division of the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) and part of the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA).
	The effective date of the contract will be 1 October 2006 and the new service will be known as NHS Supply Chain. DHL will operate NHS Supply Chain as agent of the NHSBSA, which will be responsible for managing the contract on behalf of the Department and of the NHS.
	DHL will manage the procurement and supply chain services of approximately £3.7 billion of NHS non-pay spend and forecasts savings greater than £l billion for the NHS frontline.
	In addition, the partnership with DHL will:
	Secure continuity of the services for at least 10 years;
	ensure all Trusts will benefit from lower prices;
	secure the vast majority of the 1,650 jobs that are being transferred;
	protect staffs terms and conditions under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE);
	create up to 1,000 new jobs to support expansion over the 10 years;
	guarantee that all the logistics distribution centres will remain open for five years at the very least; and
	require the construction of a new distribution centre in the Midlands within 18 months.
	We recognise that NHS Trusts value the NHS Logistics service and we have ensured that DHL will, at a minimum, maintain the current service. As is the case now, NHS Trusts will not be mandated to use the outsourced service. For DHL to be successful they will have to demonstrate value for money to NHS Trusts. They will also work very closely with clinicians to source the right products at the best prices from suppliers.
	This is also an opportunity for suppliers with innovative products to gain better access to the NHS. DHL will purchase products on behalf of the NHSBSA in accordance with EU procurement regulations thus ensuring open and fair competition.

Caroline Flint: The Government have set Public Service Agreement targets to address geographical inequalities in life expectancy, cancer, heart disease, stroke and related diseases. The targets aim to see faster progress compared to the average in the "fifth of areas with the worse health and deprivation indicators". Achievement of the targets will be assessed on the outcomes for this group in 2010. the local authorities and primary care trusts which make these areas are the Health Inequalities Spearhead Group.
	The Spearhead group is defined on local authority data and consist of 70 local authorities that are then mapped onto primary care trust boundaries.
	Revised primary care trusts boundaries were announced on 19 May. Following the reconfiguration, the spearhead group list has been refreshed to take account of the new primary care trust boundaries. The list of 70 Spearhead group local authorities (that has not changed) and the revised list 62 primary care trusts that map to them is as follows:
	
		
			 Local Authorities in the Spearhead Group Primary Care Trusts in the Spearhead Group 
			 Barking and DagenhamBarnsleyBarrow-in-FurnessBirminghamBlackburn with DarwenBlackpoolBlyth ValleyBolsoverBoltonBradfordBurnleyBuryCarlisleChester-le-StreetCorbyCoventryDerwentsideDoncasterEasingtonGatesheadGreenwichHackneyHaltonHammersmith and FulhamHaringeyHartlepoolHyndburnIslingtonKingston upon Hull, City ofKnowsleyLambethLeicesterLewishamLincolnLiverpoolManchesterMiddlesbroughNewcastle upon TyneNewhamNorth East LincolnshireNorth TynesideNottinghamNuneaton and BedworthOldhamPendlePrestonRedcar and ClevelandRochdaleRossendaleRotherhamSalfordSandwellSedgefieldSouth TynesideSouthwarkSt. HelensStockton-on-TeesStoke-on-TrentSunderlandTamesideTamworthTower HamletsWakefieldWalsallWansbeckWarringtonWear ValleyWiganWirralWolverhampton Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCTBarking & Dagenham PCTBarnsley PCTBirmingham East & North PCTBlackburn with Darwen PCTBlackpool PCTBolton PCTBradford PCTBury PCTCentral Lancashire PCTCity and Hackney PCTCounty Durham PCTCoventry PCTCumbria PCTDerbyshire County PCTDoncaster PCTEast Lancashire PCTGateshead PCTGreenwich PCTHalton & St Helens PCTHammersmith & Fulham PCTHaringey PCTHartlepool PCTHeart of Birmingham PCTHull Teaching PCTIslington PCTKnowsley PCTLambeth PCTLeicester City PCTLewisham PCTLincolnshire PCTLiverpool PCTManchester PCTMiddlesbrough PCTNewcastle PCTNewham PCTNorth East Lincolnshire PCTNorth Tyneside PCTNorthamptonshire County PCTNorthumberland Care TrustNottingham PCTOldham PCTRedcar & Cleveland PCTRochdale PCTRotherham PCTSalford PCTSandwell PCTSouth Birmingham PCTSouth Tyneside PCTSouthwark PCTStaffordshire County PCTStockton-on-Tees Teaching PCTStoke on Trent PCTSunderland PCTTameside & Glossop PCTTower Hamlets PCTWakefield PCTWalsall PCTWarrington PCTWarwickshire PCTWirral PCTWolverhampton PCT

Ian McCartney: I would like to update the House on the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) negotiations on the Doha Development Agenda. On July 24, Pascal Lamy, the Director General of the WTO announced that he was recommending the suspension of the negotiations across all subjects, after talks between the US, EU, Brazil, India, Australia and Japan broke down on the key issues of agricultural domestic support, agricultural market access and non-agricultural market access. He said the suspension would give all WTO members time to reflect, to examine available options and to review their positions. His recommendation was accepted at a WTO General Council meeting on27 July.
	The UK Government are very disappointed that insufficient progress has been made in the negotiations to allow the conclusion of the Doha Round this year. While it is very disappointing that no agreement has yet been reached, it is premature to say that the Doha Round has collapsed and cannot be revived. We believe that all key players have a responsibility to use the suspension of the negotiations to reflect on their positions with a view to showing flexibility in future that will allow an agreement to be reached. Developing countries, including the poorest countries, are the biggest losers from the failure to reach agreement.
	The UK remains committed to achieving an ambitious, pro-development outcome to these negotiations. Our priority now is to encourage all WTO members to re-engage
	in the negotiations as soon as possible. The UK Government have taken and will continue to take every opportunity to press for this—within the EU and with other WTO members. The UK Government will also continue to press for progress on Aid For Trade for developing countries. Building developing countries' capacity to trade is important in helping them integrate into the global economy and for providing a route out of poverty and we do not believe that Aid for Trade should be conditional on the successful conclusion of the DDA.
	The UK will continue to support a multilateral, rules based, international trading system. We believe multilateralism is the best way of tackling unfair trade practices.

Anne McGuire: The Office for Disability Issues has set up an Expert Panel to support the work of the cross-Government Independent Living Review, as announced in another place by my noble Friend, the Baroness Royall on14 July.
	The role of the Expert Panel will be to shape and steer the Independent Living Review which we have set up to identify imaginative and practical solutions to support independent living for disabled people. The Independent Living Review Project Team will report regularly to the Expert Panel and ensure that its views are reflected as the review progresses.
	The review, which will report in summer 2007, will:
	Bring together the views and experience of central and local government officials, disabled people and organisations of disabled people;
	develop imaginative new solutions in the areas of health, social care, transport, employment and housing;
	develop thinking on the relationship between independent living and individual budgets; and
	make practical proposals for activity to support independent living.
	Dame Jane Campbell, former Chair of the Social Care Institute for Excellence, will chair the Expert Panel. Rob Greig, National Director for Learning Disabilities, will be Vice Chairman.
	Expert Panel members include a range of experts in the field of independent living, including disabled people, and people from organisations of disabled people, user-led groups and service delivery organisations.
	I am pleased to announce that members of the Independent Living Review Expert Panel are:
	Dame Jane Campbell, Expert Panel Chair, Disability Rights Commissioner, Former Chair, Social Care Institute for Excellence
	Rob Greig, Expert Panel Vice Chair, National Director for Valuing People, Co-chair of Learning Disability Task Force
	Saghir Alam, Disability Rights Commission, lead Commissioner for Partnership and Capacity Building, member of CENTREX Race and Diversity Panel
	Ian Basnett, Chair of Independent Living Committee, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
	Nasa Begum, Principal Adviser for Participation, Social Care Institute of Excellence (SCIE)
	Zoe Carter, User Involvement Network for Mental Health Services in North Essex
	John Dixon, Joint Chair of Disability Committee, Association of Directors of Social Services
	David Gardiner, UK Older People's Advisory Group, Better Government for Older People
	Fazilet Hadi, Director of Policy, Royal National Institute for the Blind
	Frances Hasler, Head of User Participation, Commission for Social Care Inspection
	Rowen Jade, Office for Disability Issues Advisory Group
	Raymond Johnson, National Manager, People First
	Elaine Morton, Chief Executive, Independent Living Funds
	Menghi Mulchandani, Chair, National Centre for Independent Living
	Jo Williams, Chief Executive, Mencap
	Jean Willson, Chair of Centre 404 (formally Islington Mencap), A local organisation founded by parents of children with learning difficulties, which provides family support, learning and leisure opportunities, and supported housing
	Gerry Zarb, Head of Independent Living Strategy, Disability Rights Commission
	Government Departments on the Office for Disability Issues Board of Management will also be represented on the Panel.
	The first meeting of the Expert Panel is being held today, 11 September 2006.